Apple TV Air HDMI Dongle to Challenge Google Chromecast? Michael Kwan March 25, 2014 The next-generation Google Chromecast could be geared toward gaming, but it looks like the current HDMI dongle could serve as inspiration for the next Apple TV. What we see here is the Apple TV Air, a simpler, stripped down version of the Apple TV that will plug straight into the HDMI port on your television, rather than taking on the shape of a set top box. This is far cleaner and it’s completely out of sight, just like the Chromecast, except this version would not require the extra power cable that the Chromecast requires. What’s more, while the Chromecast is controlled via a smart device of your choosing, the Apple TV Air could ship with an iPod shuffle-like wireless controller that would connect to the dongle via Bluetooth. You’d presumably get the same kind of streaming functionality, including Airplay support, that you get with the full Apple TV. Before you get too excited about the prospects of a $49 Apple TV Air, however, you should know that this is merely a concept by designer Martin Hajek that he submitted to German website CURVED/labs. It’s just an idea, but it’s quite possible that Apple could go in the “Air” direction with its next Apple TV, either in lieu of or in addition to a beefier “Pro” version with more features. We hope that, if this Apple TV Air concept becomes a reality, it gets a slight redesign such that it doesn’t block neighboring ports on your TV. I encountered a similar problem with the Patriot Supersonic Magnum in that it blocked neighboring USB ports and that’s awfully frustrating. Via Curved and iPhone in Canada Share This With The World!
